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Beef Out Those Hummingbird Arms..It’s Good for You, I Promise

What day is it? My week is all helter skelter, yesterday I kept thinking it was still Sunday but then Bachelorette talk started storming Twitter so I knew it had to be a Monday. But I woke up today feeling more in a mid-end of week mode…not that it really makes much of a difference to me either way since I’m not reporting to a ‘normal’ job right now…but still I feel a little topsy-truvy!

So move update here, it’s going well. I have to say that I’m really liking the new place I’m staying at. I’m actually renting a room from a very nice man, and not going to lie his place is re-dic. (To steal a word from Katy.) Also not gonna lie, the biggest draw is…hold your breath folks…the full on decked out home gym up in here! Heck to the ya!

We’re talking a treadmill, elliptical, weight bench, free weights, and the much needed TV/DVD combo…if I ever go MIA again for a few days it may be because I’ve been on the tread non-stop. Just kidding on that. But seriously…I’ve died and gone to heaven!

This is how happy I am about the gym!

The even better news? You know how I was bi***ing about how my old gym treadmill made you reset after 60 minutes, well this one lets you go until 90 min’s before a reset is in order. I used to feel really ridiculous at my old place because on most my easy runs I’d come in at 8.25 miles for 60 min’s and that’s a sort of awkward point…if I wanted to do say 9 miles then I’d have to reboot the tread for what, like, less than six minutes? I’ve done it but I feel like a total weenie whenever someone would walk in and see me end my run at six minutes, lest they think that’s all I did. Another sign moment.

So anyways, today I was able to get in those 9.2 miles without any reset interruptions…hurrah, I’m a happy Cait! I did my arm routine that I do with just my free weights. I do 3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise that I split up into two groups. I cycle through continuously and seriously this takes 15 min’s tops and I do it right after my run while I’m still motivated to get er done:

Group 1:

*Chest flies: Sit or stand and start by holding dumbbells together in front of your chest, arms bent at about 90 degrees. Keep your back straight and then ‘fly’ your arms out, moving them laterally to the side until they are even with your torso then return to the starting position.

*Should flies: Start in the same position as the last one with the dumbbells together in front of your chest but this time ‘fly’ them up vertically and raise your arms up until they are even with your shoulders then return back down. (This chick is in the finishing position. But don’t be fooled, she’s really a giant so those weights she’s holding are 100 lbs.)

*Bent over flies: Stand and bend at the waist so your body is in an upside down L position. Hold the dumbbells together at your chest and now ‘fly’ them up by raising your arms out to your side until they are even with your back and then back down. For this one you want your arms to be only slightly bent, less than 90 degrees.

*Overhead raise: Sit/stand straight up and hold the dumbbells like you were in the finishing position of the shoulder flies. That’s arms bent 90 degrees and up at your sides. Now raise the dumbbells straight up until your arms are straight and then back down.

Group 2:

*Bent over rows: Stand next to a bench with one leg right beside it and the other one propped up on it. Rest one hand on the edge of the bench and then lean forward so that the arm with the dumbbell hangs straight down off the side of the bench. Keeping your back straight ‘row’ the dumbbell up by lifting your arm straight back until your tricep is even with your back. Think of like staring a lawn mover. Then lower back down. Be sure to repeat with the other arm. 😉 (PS-That picture is SO obviously me too. And what the heck is up with him working out in cut off jean shorts? Sorry, this pic was just so bad I HAD to put it in.)

*Bicep curls: Pretty self explanatory there. Grab some dumbbells, hang arms down at your side and then lift the dumbbells up towards your shoulder and work those biceps.

*Tricep kick backs: Stand up in the upside down L position again, with your arms bent at 90 degrees and weights in hands. Straighten your arms and bring the dumbbells straight back, feel it in those triceps. Lower back down to starting position and repeat.

So that’s just a quickie arm routine that hits all the major groups there. As a runner it’s easy to neglect those arms and come down with hummingbird syndrome where we’ve got scrawny arms that flap like crazy while we go. Having stronger arms will not only make ya look better…let’s be honesty that is a nice perk, but it will improve your running too. The stronger you are the better able you will be to keep proper, efficient form when you’re tired at the end of races or workouts. Being more efficient means well, you’re times will be faster…duh. 😉 haha. Core work does this too. Finally, even if you’re not planning on racing, you don’t want to ever just skip out on strengthening parts of your body, weak points are just begging for an injury and only holding you back!

That said, this chick is back to getting situated up in here! Happy Sunday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday….whatever day it is. 😉

PS-I’m going to have new pix up soon, I’m sorry, my scanner and some other supplies were still in the midst of being unpacked and squared away but I promise fun stuff is forthcoming!

1) Do your days ever blur together if you don’t report to a traditional job schedule? Do you also rely on the TV schedule to help keep you on track?

2) Favorite arm exercises or workouts?

3) Any classes, activities, or workouts that you’d like to try? Or have you just tried something new and would like to share?

My mom and sis (YES…so stoked they live so close now!) are into this kettlebell class, I want to jump in and try it…trust me I’ll look like a dweebette, no coordination on this chick!

Hi! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog. Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any points or suggestions? Thanks

Hey Kevin, thanks for stopping by! if you want my two cents (i’m flattered you’d consider my blog as established enough FOR advice…hehe), don’t worry starting a blog is incredibly easy. i would recommend opening up a free one with WordPress and just start writing! it is very easy and will walk you through it all and you can then just add in more pages/extras as you go along and get more comfortable. down the road you can think about buying the domain to make it all your own and drop the .wordpress from the URL depending on what your own goals are for your blog. but think about why you want to blog, who your intended audience will be, and try to come up with a genre or niche theme. there is another blog Peanut Butter Fingers that has a wonderful ongoing advice series she does that is really insightful and full of advice, here is the link to the latest one: http://www.pbfingers.com/2011/08/23/blog-talk-tuesdays-part-v/

I’m glad I listened to your advice…I dropped 9 seconds from my mile time and I think it’s because of the weight training cause my coaches are telling me th my form looks a ton better and my arms don’t go up to my ears as much now so thanks!!!!

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